


Help (That's New)

by Aston (AstonT)



Series: Life In Color [21]
Category: Assassination Classroom
Genre: Child Abandonment, Child Neglect, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mentioned dysphoria
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-10-11 09:45:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10461951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AstonT/pseuds/Aston
Summary: "It's these late night hours we spend that help me up from down." - We Got This, A Day To RememberThey had issues, every single one of them.And so what if talking it out helped them? That was normal.What they went through was what the problem was.





	

Days off school were something so many people looked forward to, especially within the main building.

There were a few exceptions, and a lot of them fell in the number of students in E class.

Chiba, for example, who preferred being in class because it wasn't always someone pushing him to do something that he just couldn't care about at the moment. He much preferred the stupid jokes, the assassination planning, the strange lessons that taught him more than any normal teacher could ever dream of.

Or Hayami, who didn't feel pressured to be what anyone else wanted her to be within the safety of the walls of their classroom.

Or Karma, who liked being with the others instead of being so damned _alone_ , even if he'd never say it aloud. He liked the calm atmosphere and how easily he blended in with everyone else in E class, how it was never boring and they always had his back and were _there if he needed them_.

Or Nagisa, who felt the most confident with his classmates by his side and didn't feel out of place in his own skin when he wasn't at home with a mother who was trying so hard to force him to be a daughter rather than a son.

Even on the main campus, Gakushuu felt better when he was at school. He didn't have to put effort into trying to figure out who he was supposed to be for the day. It was all laid out for him, and he just had to put up the mask he was so comfortable in that it had become a safety net for him when he was away from the prying eyes of his father and classmates and was able to relax.

But none of them would ever admit it if they were asked.

And now that school wasn't in session for a couple weeks for break, they were lost on what they were meant to do.

Sure, E class had it slightly easier on that term, they had an escape if they needed, with Korosensei showing up within the last few days of break to get everyone together again for a bit of fun before school started.

But Gakushuu was reliant on Ren, and that wasn't a foolproof plan.

The last day before break ended, when E class was all meeting up in town to just goof off and have fun and live for a while before it was back to school, Gakushuu was drug from his home by Ren.

They hadn't expected to run into E class, nor did they expect to see those who were more comfortable in school in a state they'd yet to see before.

Gakushuu gave a soft hum as he watched them interact, then shared a look with Ren, who shrugged.

And so, the two approached the group.

They didn't miss the wary looks they got from the others, and Nagisa took note as well, turning to look behind him, head tilted down as he tried to fix his hair how he usually wore it absently.

The sight of the two A class students surprised him enough that his locks fell through his fingers back to fall over his shoulder.

Karma sighed, but took the brush and elastic band from the bluenette and settled to fix the other male's hair into it's usual style, not sparing a look to the two standing right there, watching.

Ren tilted his head before he spoke softly. "It suits you," he offered to Nagisa.

Nagisa gave him a wary look. "What does?"

Ren smiled faintly. "Your hair. Maybe just a little shorter, but it does suit you."

Nagisa looked down at that and shrugged.

Karma gave a grimace, but said nothing as he tilted the other boy's head back up. "Enough of that," he told the other boy, voice quieter than it usually was and sounding like he hadn't spoke all break. "It was a compliment,"

This was punctuated with a questioning look thrown to Ren, who nodded in answer to the unspoken question.

Nagisa nodded in agreement, but didn't meet anyone's eyes.

Gakushuu frowned, but spoke. "Not really yourselves, are you?"

Karma's eyes narrowed at the principal's son before he smirked. "And what about you? Not yourself either?"

* * *

  
The two boys ended up spending the evening with them, well into the night hours.

And as they passed, they slowly started falling into themselves again. Nagisa started smiling more, becoming more alive than he had been.

Karma's voice slowly got stronger, less strained.

Chiba and Hayami ended up talking about plans for the future, Chiba with a small smile showing on his face.

Gakushuu watched this as it happened, but didn't change how he was.

"So, why'd you approach us?" Nagisa asked, looking to the two A class students curiously.

Gakushuu didn't look at them as he answered, his gaze focused on the sky above them that was slowly becoming dotted with stars. "Because I recognized the discomfort from being out of school."

"Listen, we don't care about school, not like you guys do," Karma started, frowning at the strawberry blond. "It isn't the most important thing in the world to us,"

"Wasn't meaning it like that," Gakushuu countered, throwing a look over to Karma. "Why'd you sound like you hadn't spoken all break, Akabane? I would've thought your parents would've _loved_ your sarcasm,"

Karma went to counter before he narrowed his eyes. "Coming from the one who kept looking around as if expecting to be scolded for relaxing and not being a perfect, cool soldier?"

"Don't fight," Chiba told the two, frowning at them. "I am curious, though, Karma."

Karma scratched the back of his neck at that and shrugged, going pink. "Parents were gone all break," he offered.

Gakushuu glanced over in surprise, but said nothing upon seeing the other boy staring steadfastly at the space in front of the group where they were sitting on the ground together.

"I told you you could come over if you wanted," Nagisa told Karma with a frown. "Why didn't you tell me they weren't home? I would've talked to my mom about you staying,"

"Exactly why I didn't tell you," Karma pointed out, glancing at Nagisa before he gave a calm smile, the polar opposite of his usual cheeky grin. "I remember the last time you asked if I could stay because they were gone,"

Nagisa flinched slightly at the reminder, but didn't respond verbally.

Ren caught it and almost called him out on it before he shook his head and moved on. It was personal, he figured.

Hayami spoke up then, though. "You still could've mentioned it to us," she pointed out. "Any of us would've dropped by or asked if you could stay with us for break,"

Karma shrugged in response.

Gakushuu frowned ahead of him, and suddenly, Karma turned it on him. "So...I was serious. Why were you looking around like you were trying not to get caught doing something?"

Gakushuu blinked at him before he shook his head. "The Chairman isn't much of a father," he offered. "His fatherly side is...less than satisfactory,"

Ren chuckled at that. "I'd call that an understatement, Gakushuu,"

This got the brown haired boy a dark look.

Ren tapped his own cheek in response.

Nagisa caught this before he spoke. "I'm sorry," he offered to the strawberry blond. "You'll have to let me know if he ever hurts you. Pretty good at first aid,"

"And damn good at hiding things he doesn't want others knowing," Karma added in a mumble.

"Not good enough," Chiba said, leaning forward to look at Nagisa closer.

* * *

Come the end of everything, Gakushuu felt a lot better about his own habits. 

He'd learned a lot of things he could use as blackmail against the four E class students, but they'd learned just enough about him to be able to do the same.

All in all, he understood a lot better, and had gained numbers from them should he need someone to vent to besides Ren.

When it officially hit midnight, Chiba and Hayami had left for their homes with the promise of seeing their classmates at school the next day as well as a farewell to Gakushuu and Ren.

Ren had been watching when Nagisa finally got tired enough for it to affect his behavior, only to smile faintly when he saw Karma wrap an arm around the smaller boy's waist to keep him steady where he was sitting, as well as press a kiss to the top of his head gently as his eyes focused on the stars above them.

Gakushuu sighed as he glanced at his watch to see the time. "I suppose that it's best we leave and get some sleep before school.

Ren nodded, standing and looking to the two E class students. "Can you two make it home alright?"

Karma hesitated, looking down at Nagisa where the smaller boy was resting his head over his chest and listening to his heart beat. "I don't want him going home right now. His mom will go mental if she sees his hair pulled up like this. Help me get him to my place?"

Ren nodded in agreement, then looked to Gakushuu. "I told your father you were staying with me, he sent you a uniform and your bag to my house."

Gakushuu gave a thankful smile to the other boy as they helped Karma get Nagisa up and let the redhead stand himself.

* * *

The following morning, Gakushuu and Ren sent a wave to Nagisa and Karma as they passed the main campus to head up the mountain. 

Nagisa gave a faint smile and waved back.

All in all, the previous evening had been exactly what they'd needed.


End file.
